Why Shad enjoyed reading The New Urban Crisis by Richard Florida

Hip hop artist Shad's album A Short Story About a War was released in 2018. The recording artist and broadcaster says it's a concept album that deals with social issues including immigration, the environment and politics.

Speaking of social issues, Shad notes that The New Urban Crisis by theorist Richard Florida is a book he enjoyed reading.

This interview originally aired on Oct. 29, 2018.

"Richard Florida is someone who had this whole philosophy of re-energizing and rejuvenating cities by drawing in young people who were university-educated, artists and who were in technology. This book sees him do a 180 on that thinking. He's reflecting back on the last 20 years of urban development and he's realizing that cities are increasingly unequal and segregated. The middle class is failing.

"The recipe is not as simple as building cities and getting young educated and talented people together to solve all the problems. Because it clearly has not."

Shad's comments have been edited for length and clarity.